Il Tramonto

Program Note:

Ottorino Respighi (1879-1936) is generally known only for his famous orchestral tone poems, the so-called Roman triptych: Fountains of Rome, Pines of Rome, and Roman Festivals. Other facets of his creative output rarely come to light either in concerts or on recordings. Indeed, few listeners know that Respighi composed nine full-length operas and dozens of other vocal works. Just before Fountains of Rome (1917) launched him to international fame, Respighi composed Il Tramonto (“The Sunset”) for mezzo soprano and string quartet. The text by Percy Bysshe Shelley is cast in three stanzas of varying tone. It tells of a youth fated to die early—autobiographical for Shelley, as it would happen—in the gothic, melancholic style so popular for his era.
Well aware of his compatriots’ devotion to opera, Respighi envisioned Il Tramonto as a modest effort in that genre. In fact, it may be regarded as a single extended aria lasting roughly fifteen minutes. After a dramatic fortissimo string introduction, the voice enters as an accompanied recitative that flows smoothly into an impassioned Allegro moderato. Respighi’s harmonies are rich, and there are moments—mere glimpses here and there—that will call Puccini to mind. The slow section, beginning at “Ora è sommerso” (“Now the sun had sunk”), forms a complete section within the larger whole. This section seems to convey a sense of light breaking through clouds, of unexpected new horizons that open before our eyes/ears. Respighi achieves the effect via third-related chord progressions in the major mode (such as A to C-sharp, and D to B-flat). From this point, the mood withdraws back into shadow. The text pivots to focus on the youth’s death and his beloved’s despair. An accompanied recitative gallops through huge chunks of text before pulling back on the reins for a transcendent conclusion. Various facets combine to create a lingering poignancy at the end: soaring first violin, undulating triplet rhythms, colorful final harmonies, and the sweet close on the chordal third. Taken as a whole, the attention to detail and respect for text in Il Tramonto suggest Respighi’s neglected operas warrant greater study.

(c) Jason Stell